Current collector contact member



Nov. 4, 1947.

lnventcir z J. p. DURYEE I CURRENT COLLECTOR CONTACT MEMBER Filed Dec. 14, 1945 MW v/ P u C ev m o w J HisAttorney. I

Patented Nov. 4, 1947 2,430,279 CURRENT COLLECTOR CONTACT MEMBER Jerome C. Duryee, Fort .Wayne, General Electric Company,

New York 11111., assignor to a corporation of Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 635,091

4 Claims.

My invention relates to current collector contact members and particularly to a cartridge type brush holder and brush construction.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved current collector contact member.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent and my invention will be better understood from the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of my improved current collector contact member; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar t Fig. 2 illustrating a modification thereof.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown an embodiment of my invention in connection with a cartridge type brush holder in which my improved current collector contact member comp-rises a cylindrical brush holder I having a longitudinally extending contact member slot 2 formed therein with substantially arcuate longitudinally extending grooves 3 and 4 in the transverse sides of the slot 2. This brush holder 1 is adapted to be mounted in a machine so that the grooves 3 and 4 in the sides of the contact member slots 2 are on the leading and trailing sides of a con tact brush element 5 adapted to be arranged in the slot 2 of the brush holder. In this construction, a contact brush member 5 is arranged in the slot 2 of the brush holder for longitudinal movement therein and is adapted to be biased towards the end of the brush holder l adjacent a current collector 6 for contact therewith by the provision of a resilient compression coil spring 1 adapted to engage the opposite end of the contact member 5 and a spring seat 8 formed on the inner side of a screw cap 9 which threadedly engages the outer end of the brush holder l for retaining the spring 1 in position. The arcuate form of the slots 3 and 4, as shown in Fig. 2, provides for free movement of the spring I thereinto, although these slots may be substantially rectangular, as shown in Fig. 3, if a smaller diameter spring 1 is used. In reversing type dynamoelectric machines, it is particularly desirable that the contact member should be held in engagement with one side of the contact member slot in the brush holder in order to maintain as near as possible a single contact surface on the contact member 5 which engages the current collector surface 6,

groove 3 and thereby minimizing the shifting of the line of contact, and minimizing sparking at the brushes. In order to obtain this engagement of the contact member 5 with substantially only one side of the brush holder slot 2, I provide a cup member I!) adjacent the end of the contact member 5 away from the current collector end thereof which extends through an opening substantially in the transverse center of the contact member and into the groove 3 in the brush holder. This cup ID is formed with an outwardly extending crimped flanged portion H arranged in engagement with the side of the contact member 5 away from the a ball member I2 is movably guided by a spring l3 in the cup member ID and biased towards the adjacent open end of the cup into engagement with the groove 4 for biasing the contact member 5 towards the opposite side of the brush holder slot. This resilient biasing arrangement provides for the free movement of the contact member 5 longitudinally through the brush holder slot 2, and the arrangement of a steel ball i2 provides for a minimum of frictional resistance both to longitudinal movement and to slight transverse adjustment that may be required as the brush 5 passes longitudinally through the brush holder.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that my invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangement disclosed, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A current collector contact member adapted for longitudinal movement in a brush holder having a contact member slot therein with a longitudinally extending groove in a side of said slot, said contact member having means including a cup member extending into an opening in said contact member and arranged in engagement with a side of said contact member, a movable ball guided in said cup member, and resilient means in said cup member for biasing said ball member into engagement with the side of said groove whereby said contact member is biased against a side of said slot.

2. A current collector contact member adapted for longitudinal movement in a brush holder having a contact member slot therein with grooves in the opposite leading and trailing sides of said slot, said contact member having means including a cup member extending through an opening in said contact member into one of said grooves and arranged in engagement with a side of said contact member, a ball member in said cup member, and a compression spring for biasing said ball towards the open end of said cup member and into engagement with the side of the other of said groves whereby said contact member is biased against a side of said slot.

3. A current collector contact member adapted for longitudinal movement in a brush holder having a contact member slot therein with a longitudinally extending groove in a transverse side of said slot, said contact member having means including a cup member extending through an opening substantially in the transverse center of said contact member and having a flange in engagement with a side of said contact member adjacent the end thereof away from the current collector end of said current collector member, an axially movable ball member guided in said cup member, and a compression spring member in said cup member for biasing said axially movable ball member into engagement with the side of said groove whereby said contact member is biased against a side of said slot.

4. A current collector contact member adapted for longitudinal movement in a brush holder having a contact member slot therein with longitudinally extending grooves in the opposite leading and trailing sides of said slot, said contact member having means including a cup member adjacent the end of said contact member away from the current collector end thereof and extending through an opening substantially in the transverse center of said contact member into one of said grooves, said cup member being arranged in engagement with a side of said contact member, a ball member in said cup member, and a compression spring for biasing said ball towards grooves whereby said contact member is biased against a side of said slot.

JEROME C. DURYEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

